Essay Rubrics

Writing Rubrics for Middle and High School Students

Use these essay rubrics for writing assignments for older students. Links to rubrics for younger grades are at the bottom of this page.

How to Use Writing Rubrics to Evaluate Writing

Read the student's paper several times. On the first reading, focus on the content and the overall message. On your second reading, focus on the details.

Then read each of the criteria on the rubric. Note the differentiation for each criteria for:

• Above expectations
• Meets expectations
• Below expectations.

Then re-read the students' paper again for each of the criteria listed.

Basic Writing Rubric

Click for your FREE PRINTABLE of the Basic Essay Writing Rubric

Our 100 point basic writing rubric helps you to evaluate and grade your student on the following areas:

• Purpose of Assignment
• Organized outline approved before the first draft is due
• Original Ideas
• Paragraph Development
• Word Choices
• Holding Attention
• Complete Sentences
• No fragments/run-ons
• Spelling
• Punctuation
• Paper Submitted On Time

LEARN MORE about using the 100 Point Essay Writing Rubric.

6+1 Trait Writing Rubric

Click for your FREE PRINTABLE of the Six Traits +1 Writing Rubric

6+1 Traits are frequently used in elementary but can continue to beneficial in the upper years. It uses the seven traits to diagnose student writing ability. The Six (plus one) traits include:

• Ideas
• Organization
• Voice
• Word choice e
• Sentence fluency
• Conventions
• Presentation

LEARN MORE about using the Six +1 Traits Writing Rubric.

Research Paper Rubric

Click for your FREE PRINTABLE of the Research Paper Rubric

This rubric for research papers is primarily for those who have used the rubrics above several times. Content comprises 66% of the grade and mechanics 33%.

• Outline present
• Introductory paragraph(s)
• Thesis statement is clear
• Outline supports thesis
• Paragraph development
• At least 5 Footnotes
• Originality of ideas
• Clarity of sentences
• Summary paragraph(s)
• Bibliography of at least 5 sources
• Spelling
• Proper sentences
• Punctuation
• Possessives/Apostrophes
• Use of pronouns

LEARN MORE about using the Research Paper Rubric.


A blank research paper rubric can also be downloaded from the link above. You can modify the rubric to meet YOUR teaching goals.

A Writing Program You Both Will Love

Write On: The Kid-Friendly Way to Write

Keep your students guessing what is coming next. One Hundred different writing activities are provided which take students from simple sentences all the way to thesis development.

Each activity gives students an unintimdating model. They use the model to write about the subject of their choice. Before you know it, well-organized paragraphs have produced cohesive essays they are proud to share.